


Won't Leave

by DotColorful



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Movie: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, One Shot, Other, Torture, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22322605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DotColorful/pseuds/DotColorful
Summary: ROTJ AU. Palpatine doesn't kill Luke. Instead, he forces his father to do it.One shot.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 124





	Won't Leave

"And now, young Skywalker, you will die."

The pained gasps turned into screams as the Emperor released the lightning once more. It was loud, it was agonizing, it smelled of death, and it was so very wrong.

Vader didn't want to listen, didn't want to see, but he did. 

And then, once again, it stopped. 

"...f...f...fath..."

It was a quiet grunt, nothing more. Barely comprehensive, barely a sound leaving his son's lips. He just lay there, his legs curled, his left hand held around his midsection. The hold was weak though, Luke's fingers grasping the material of his charred clothes without any strength left. His right hand was stretched, twisted at an odd angle, lying limply as if was detached from his body. The glove covering the hand had been burnt - only scraps remained, revealing the metal skeleton underneath. 

Vader didn't want to look at his son's face, but saw it anyway. Saw an expression so pained, so agonized that he had to avert his gaze. But the image was still in his mind - the slightly opened lips as Luke desperately tried to draw in breaths, choking on the cool air; the bloody foam that trickled down the corner of his mouth and down his chin, pooling under his cheek; the angry red burns marking his skin in a lightning pattern. But the worst were his eyes - wide open but glassy and without focus, staring into nothingness. Tears were falling down Luke's cheeks and Vader knew they were not only a result of physical pain.

Luke was crying because his father had left him. Because his father stood by while Palpatine was torturing him.

Vader knew Luke had hope. Knew Luke didn't want to admit it, but childishly and naively believed his father would turn back to the Light and save him. 

But he didn't. 

He looked at his son again. He was still there, still lying, but the gasps were becoming louder and louder as Luke failed to control the seizures that were shaking his weak body. He was shivering on the cold floor, his eyes squeezing shut, pain-filled noises echoing in the quiet room. 

And then it was still again as the seizure passed and Luke's upper body fell on the floor limply. 

"Not long now, my young Jedi," Palpatine said and Vader turned around sharply, looking at his master. He didn't feel anything yet - only numbness in his heart. Palpatine continued. "You are only seconds away from your death. You can feel it in your bones... You can feel your life leave you, can't you, Jedi?"

A long sigh, an expression of false pity, a wicked smile. Palpatine was prolonging Luke's torment, feeding on his pain and despair. He wanted Skywalker to die weak; to die knowing his father chose his master over his own son. 

"You're so desperate, Jedi. So afraid of what will happen to your friends... But worry not, my young friend. You will die, and your rebel friends will join you soon enough." 

Two slow, measured steps and Palpatine was standing right above Luke. Vader remained where he stood, still rooted to the place, still numb. The Emperor crouched next to Skywalker's body, his fake smile never disappearing from his lips. He touched the Jedi's cheek with his cold hand and Luke howled in pain, agonized by the touch to his damaged skin. 

No, Vader wanted to scream, it hurts him!

But he stayed silent, not uttering a word. 

"Now, now, my young friend," Palpatine continued, looking into Luke's eyes. "I would most certainly take pleasure in taking your life. But wouldn't it be only fitting to have Darth Vader kill the offspring of Anakin Skywalker?"

Vader watched as the Emperor's head slowly turned in his direction, a gleeful smile stretching his lips. Luke still lay on the floor, squirming under Palpatine's touch. It was apparent he was no longer able to comprehend what was happening around him. Vader didn't blame him - he had trouble understanding the situation himself. 

"...f...fa...th...?" Luke whispered. Vader's heart clenched at the confused voice, the way his son clung to his father even after he had betrayed him. 

The emperor chuckled. "Yes," he agreed, mocking Luke. "You are quite right. I am indeed talking about your father."

And then Palpatine grasped Luke's wrists and held them, immobilizing him, exposing his chest.

"Kill him, Lord Vader."

The numbness in his head cleared instantly the moment his master uttered those words. Kill his son? Kill his son? He could not - would not! Guilt clenched his heart; so did pain. He'd allowed his son to be tortured before his eyes, allowed Palpatine to hurt him although he pleaded his father for help... His son! Son! The one who had come here, knowing he would most probably die and still risking everything to give his father a chance to turn back, to turn himself from the dark.

His son who he'd never even touched, had never even known what he felt like. 

He unclipped his lightsaber.

Luke tried to struggle, but his weak body didn't have any strength to do that. And still, he was fighting, pulling at Palpatine's grasp. Vader hated seeing his son like that - held by his wrists, his chest exposed, immobilized like an animal, allowing Vader to plummet his lightsaber through his heart. 

But Vader would not kill Luke. It was Palpatine who would fall victim to his blade, it was Palpatine who was going to pay the price. He walked towards his master and his son, his lightsaber still in his hand. He knelt next to them, looking into his son's eyes. Luke averted his gaze, defeated, humiliated, unable to defend himself. He heard Palpatine laugh, the dreadful sound echoing in the throne room. 

Vader placed his blade to his son's chest.

His son stayed silent. Didn't plead, didn't ask his father to stop. Vader didn't even want to imagine what it must have felt like - to be dying but not yet dead, held like an animal by an enemy, ready to be killed by his own father. And yet stay silent. 

How brave his son was, how dignified! 

It wouldn't be long now - only a matter of seconds in fact. 

"Kill him," the Emperor repeated. 

"Yes, my master."

And then with a swish, abrupt movement, he moved his lightsaber and pierced it through Palpatine's heart. He died quickly - it was all over. Barely aware of his actions, Vader extended his hand and pushed the Emperor's corpse away with the Force. 

No longer held by Palpatine, Luke's upper body fell to the ground. Vader caught his head, cupping it lightly from behind, pulling his son upright. 

Luke was going to die - nothing could stop it now and they both knew that. And yet there were so many things that had to be said, so many things that still could be done. 

Luke's lips moved, but no words left his mouth. New tears filled his eyes and Vader wiped them away with his thumb. 

"It's over, my son. It's alright," he said gently, quietly, the hand supporting Luke's head rubbing comforting circles on his skin. Luke cried - it was all he could do to express his feelings. It was cruel that it was only now that he was about to die that he would experience parental affection. 

"I'm here," Vader continued. "I'm here. I'll stay."

Luke smiled at that. "...w-won't...l-leave...?" 

"No, my son," he repeated and more tears spilled, more cascaded down his cheeks. "I'll stay till the end." 

It was everything his son had ever dreamed of. He was a fine warrior, a kind and mature man with a big heart. But now, dying in Vader's arms, he was just a child, comforted by his father for the first and last time in his life. 

"...th...th...thank...y-you...."

Vader put his other arm around Luke, embracing him. 

"I'm proud of you, Luke. So very proud."

And then, as if it wasn't enough, he repeated it again.

"You've made me so proud." 

And again he looked into those sad, blue eyes, the faint smile. His son was looking at him, drinking in the sight of his father so much that he was afraid to blink - afraid that once he closed his eyes, it would all be over. 

"...w-wan...ted...to..b-be...a...Je...di...l-like..."

"I know, Luke."

"...l-like...m-my..."

"I know," Vader repeated in a comforting voice. He didn't want him to finish; he knew how the sentence would end.

"...like...m-my...f-father!" 

Vader embraced his son tighter, feeling the warmth and strength of his small body. My son! My son! A part of me! Exists because of me!

His son didn't move, and neither did he. 

Together, they awaited Luke's death and it was the happiest moment's in the young Jedi's life.

**Author's Note:**

> So here's the story, hope you enjoyed it!


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